We, at the Government of Southern Sudan Mission to the United States and United Nations would like to express our warm greetings and wishes to you as the year 2010 ends and as we enter a new epoch in the history of Sudan. We would also like to take this opportunity to encourage you and your family, friends and community to participate in the Southern Sudan Referendum. January 9th, 2010 is only 14days away; thus, any Southern Sudanese that have registered must prepare to make it to the Referendum polling center, where they have registered. Friends of Southern Sudanese are kindly asked to support positively in any manner they could.

As you know, the Southern Sudan Referendum is one of the final components of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which ended the long civil war between Northern and Southern Sudan. The CPA provided a framework and a six-year process that allowed the Government of Sudan to address fairly the serious internal concerns that have destabilized the country for decades.

The architects of the CPA understood the tremendous challenge of reshaping a country historically and intentionally divided by race, religion, culture and extra; as a result, the Southern Sudan Referendum is a tremendous hope for our people. As we carefully march towards the end of the CPA, Southern Sudanese are given the important opportunity and responsibility to evaluate the country’s progress over the last six years and to determine the future of the country – whether it will remain one Sudan or become two separate countries. We give glory to God our creator and thank Him for enabling the registration of the Referendum to commence on November 15th, 2010 and end credibly.

Let us lift the Abyei Referendum in our prayers daily and pray for our Presidential Leadership to reach a just resolution in a timely manner. This is a serious time and it is a historic time. Every one of us has lost family and friends in the struggle for a better life. Through terrible sacrifices, we have been given the opportunity to choose.

We have suffered enough. It is time to end wars, death and destruction and to take our place among peaceful nations of the world. Southern Sudanese, the time is now. It is our time to voice the hopes and dreams of our ancestors and to help secure a better future for generations to come. Let us do everything we can to help each other participate/vote in the Referendum—it is time to cast our ballots wisely!

May God protect and richly bless our country in the critical days ahead. Again, we wish you good times during Christmas and New Year celebrations and please think about the Referendum and human suffering in our motherland. Please pray for the peaceful implementation of the last provisions of the CPA, especially for the people of Blue Nile and Nuba Mountains as they prepare for the Popular Consultations. Let us pray for the people of Darfur and that a lasting resolution will be reached amicably for them to live in peace and enjoy life. May God Almighty bless you!

Please feel free to contact the Government of Southern Sudan Mission to the United States and United Nations at 1-202-293-7940 if you have questions or concerns, you can also find us at www.gossmission.org. Additional information about the referendum is available at http://www.southernsudanocv.org/or by calling the IOM 24-hour hotline at 1-866-898-0119. For more information about Southern Sudan, please kindly view www.goss.org.

Merry Christmas and many blessings to come!

With much appreciation from all of us at the GoSS Mission to US and UN